Ricoh copies mould clamping success

The moulding shop at Ricoh's UK factory in Telford is one of the most impressive in the country.

The moulding shop at Ricoh's UK factory in Telford is one of the most impressive in the country.

Ten machines, comprising nine Demag injection moulders ranging from 25 to 800 tonne capacity plus a blow moulder produce, typically, between 750,000 and 1 million plastic parts per month, for use on Ricoh's well known range of photocopiers.

The components produced include end caps for the toner cartridges and blown toner bottles, right through to large moulded panels for copier housings.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the commissioning of the moulding shop at Telford, following Ricoh's decision to bring manufacture in house as part of the drive to improve quality, reduce cost and improve availability.

The desired benefits were rapidly achieved and the initial 100 tonne moulding machine was quickly followed by others capable of producing the growing number of plastic parts needed.

Phil Ludgate, Parts Engineering Manager at Ricoh UK in Telford, was responsible for the creation and development of the moulding facility.

He commented: "In the early days, mould changes on the machines were fairly infrequent so a quick clamping system was not required, the moulds were bolted directly onto the machine platen".

"As the range of moulded products was extended, the number of moulds used on each machine increased and the advantages to be gained from installing a quick mould clamping system became more important".

Ludgate continues: "I saw the Staubli QMC 106 quick mould clamping system demonstrated at an exhibition and realised that this manual, bayonet locking system could speed up and simplify the mould changing on our injection moulding machines".

Mechanical systems, like Staubli's QMC 106, hold the mould in position by a manual bayonet mechanism and are suitable for injection moulding machines up to 250/300 tonne capacity.

These are simple, low cost systems that are relatively easy to install.

Nearly all injection moulding machines can be equipped with the Staubli clamping system, which requires no electric or hydraulic connections.

Existing moulds require only simple modification; a recess has to be machined into the mould to accept the Staubli centring rings in place of the normal register rings.

The bayonet system, lever operated by a removable handle, ensures secure mould clamping by simple manual locking onto the centring rings.

The complete working surface of the platens remains available for use and any shape of mould can be accommodated.

An additional advantage is that mould changing requires access to only one side of the machine.

For larger moulding machines, above 250/300 tonne capacity, manual mechanical systems are not suitable, being unable to withstand opening forces (assumed as 10% of machine capacity) of much above 25/30 tonne.

For these applications the choice is between Staubli's QMC 100/101 hydraulic clamping systems or their recently introduced QMC 121 high performance magnetic clamping system.

Staubli offered a trial to Ludgate and the QMC 106 system was installed on to a Demag 100 tonne injection moulding machine at the Ricoh factory.

It was well received; reducing mould change times dramatically and ensuring the perfect alignment of the tools in the machine.

Holding security of the moulds was also improved by eliminating the possibility of incorrect clamp positioning reducing clamping effectiveness and the danger of bolt threads jamming due to the ingress of dirt and contaminants.

Mould change times were reduced from typically 45 to 60min to just 15min for any mould size, using the Staubli system.

Ricoh now has seven of its injection moulding machines fitted with the QMC 106 system and just over 30 moulds have been fitted with the bayonet holding rings.

The rings can be easily removed should the mould need to be used elsewhere.

Other Ricoh moulding plants appreciated the ease and simplicity of the Staubli clamping system, the French factory in Colmar adopting the same system for all of its moulding machines.

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